Green Bay Packers linebacker De’Vondre Campbell was suspiciously absent from practice on Wednesday, one day after sending a pointed social media post about playing injured.
On Tuesday, Campbell wrote on X that he was “not going out my way anymore and I’m not playing through injuries anymore cause when [things] goes wrong they always use it against you.” The linebacker has dealt with injuries to his ankle and more recently his neck this season.
On Wednesday, Campbell was absent from practice, with the team citing the neck injury as the reason. Coach Matt LaFleur said the Packers wanted to give him a day to allow him to “get his body back.”
“He’s a guy that, like I said, I’ve still got the utmost respect for him, how he handles his business, how he prepares to play the game of football, all the extra things that he does that I’m well aware of, how he tries to get his body right, because this is a long season, right? And it takes a toll on their body, no question about it,” LaFleur said, via Rob Demovsky of ESPN. “I just think he’s extremely frustrated. Sometimes that happens.”
Campbell refused to answer questions about his post when speaking with the media.
Frustrations are certainly mounting for the Packers, who have lost consecutive games to the New York Giants and Tampa Bay Buccaneers after seemingly getting back in the playoff picture. The defense has been subject to criticism over its recent performances, particularly regarding what Baker Mayfield managed to do against them on Sunday.
Campbell has played 10 games this season, collecting 67 total tackles.
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